Reminiscor
by Magenta Moon
Summary: Cain's previous reincarnation in Japan wasn't that long ago in the grand scheme of things. Five hundred years ago, in fact...


**NOTE: The **_**italics **_**at the start are INTENTIONAL.**

Summary: Cain's previous reincarnation in Japan wasn't that long ago in the grand scheme of things. Five hundred years ago, in fact...

**Remember**

_He was in an Eastern country this time. Either the continent or the land of the rising sun. Probably the latter. It didn't matter._

_He was an albino again, with silver hair and red eyes. He's used to it._

_His parents are gone, killed by bandits. He's used to that as well. It's not the first time._

_He shudders in the cold. The villagers had talked of 'demons', and he wondered idly if the were anything like his uncles and aunts. Then again, maybe not. This country hasn't yet been touched by Him. Perhaps he could settle down in this life._

_**. . .**_

_He was scared. Really, really scared. When he had approached the huge wrinkly worm, it had tried to eat him. Twice. His uncles had never tried that before - then again, none of his close relations were worms. Except maybe his tenth cousin four times removed. But even Uncle Astaroth only _rode_ the worm, not actually transform into it._

_And then this lady had shown up, destroyed the demon and was now kneeling in front of him. She was dressed oddly enough, and he could see the material was by far better than anything he had ever seen before._

"_Hello," she said. He frowned. What language he had picked up was not nearly enough for intelligent conversation. Not that anyone was smart enough. "My name is Kagome. What's yours?"_

_Now he had a dilemma. It was clear Christianity - that's what they called it now - had not reached these shores. Should he risk it? This girl - Kagome - seemed nice enough. "Cain," he said after a few moments. She seemed surprised at his answer._

"_From the Bible?" she asked. He cursed within his mind - of course a missionary would find him. It was a pity. He was beginning to like her, and now? Now she had to go. He lifted his hand - she smiled softly. "I see now. You're _the_ Cain, aren't you? Your soul is positively _ancient_."_

_She wasn't overly familiar with It, that much he could tell. Yet that was strange, too - she could not be a priest (first of all she was a woman), but no one knows of It here; or at least from what he's seen. Kagome started talking again._

"_A reincarnation perhaps? Do you Remember too?"_

_He was shocked. A pure human was asking about his previous lives. How did she know? Granted, every legend had an inkling of truth, but still... "Do you?"_

_She laughed. "Ever since I was complete. Do you have a somewhere you can go back to, Cain?"_

_He shook his head, and realized he never answered her question. "I suppose I do remember. And no, my predecessors are dead this time," he said. She smiled._

"_Well, Cain, a child is vulnerable, no matter how knowledgeable he is. So would you like to come with me?"_

_**. . .**_

_Her camp wasn't far. He was still wondering why he followed when they came to a clearing. A man with silver hair, twitching dog ears atop his head (the heck?) and crossed arms was waiting for them._

"_Where were you, wench? We've got to get moving!" he shouted. Kagome only looked down, more subdued than ever. Cain didn't like seeing her like that, but what could a child do?_

"_Nowhere, Inuyasha..." she whispered. "Just taking a walk."_

_Inuyasha glared. "Don't then. And leave the kid!"_

_He could see she was thinking of better times. Cain assumed it was not always like this._

"_You have _Kikyo_."_

"_You're here to find the shards!" Miroku piped up. "You're useless, but your range is larger than Lady Kikyo's. Unfortunately."_

_Kagome's eyes filled with tears for the hundredth time in as many days. Kikyo had taken over slowly - too slowly to be noticed. She was so kind at first; then she started doing the roles Kagome usually did until they had switched. Now she was the outsider instead of the group's heart._

_Cain decided he didn't like seeing the woman-child sad. He tugged on her hand. "Kagome?"_

_She smiled at him through blurry eyes - that fake, polite smile that was so common now. "Never mind. Let's get you dinner."_

_**. . .**_

_**The weeks passed in that fashion, until one day...**_

_Kikyo smirked as she inserted the last shard into the jewel. That useless girl would finally be gone! She poured all her remaining powers into the bauble, making it glow pink - 'pure'. But Cain saw. He saw the swirl of darkness at the jewel's center, threatening to expand. He supposed that it represented the evil heart she held. He also feared what would happen now, for he knew that she hated _her_. It couldn't be anything good._

"_I wish for Kagome Higurashi to depart from this time," Kikyo whispered, though no one heard._

_Kagome started fading, beginning with her feet. Her heart thudded within her chest. Yes, she had wanted, on some subconscious level, to escape from this harsh life, but not like this! Kikyo laughing like a maniac wasn't helping either. Her former friends - for they certainly weren't now - watched impassively. Only Cain was shocked (though he shouldn't be - hadn't happened before in the Garden?)._

"_Kagome!" he shouted desperately, flying at her. She could only smile wistfully; only her upper body was still solid, and she could feel the future's pull._

_"I hope you remember me," she said, "I would hate to be forgotten by my new little brother. Be happy, ne?"_

_As soon as the transporting lights had disappeared, Inuyasha turned his claws on the boy. He did not bother asking why he did that. The time he spent with the half-breed had only solidified his belief that he was an insensitive, ungrateful savage._ _With blood gurgling in his throat and vision fading, the eldest son of Adam and Eve had only one thought:_

I will find your soul again, Sister...

Naoya sat up with a start; he was panting, tears in his eyes. _Why that dream?_ he wondered. It had been thirty years since the last time that one had surfaced. Was it her spirit's way of saying 'good luck'?

That was one of his happier lives, however short. Yet Kagome apparently still wasn't reincarnated after five hundred years. That was strange. Usually a soul was sent to live on earth once every century or so. Then there were the special cases like himself and his brother who reincarnate almost twice as fast. And others who were abnormally slow. Hm, maybe Kagome was one of those.

Ah well, today's the big day. Kazuya's choice, which will determine the fate of mankind - or Japan's at least.

**. . .**

Kagome looked up towards the bright red sky. _Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning._ And the sky was indeed a deep maroon, reminding her of spilt blood. But then, many people were killed in the last five days. She, however, had survived.

Two transparent demon forms flanked her - one humanoid, one not. They were, of course, Sesshomaru and Kirara - the only two demons from _her past_ who did not side with _her_. Hell, even sweet Rin was taken in by Kikyo's clutches! And Jaken followed her...

No! There's no need to think of it. This ordeal will be over soon, she could feel it.

Sesshomaru's ghostly hand - for he was in the COMP, and so was not solid - was placed on her shoulder. "For better or for worse, this will end soon."

"For better or for worse," Kagome agreed. "Though I hope it's for the better- eh?" Both her friends turned to her, questions in their eyes. She didn't notice. "That aura... Sesshomaru, Kirara, we're going to visit an old friend."

"Who?" he asked protectively. He had waited five hundred years to see her - he won't lose her again.

"You remember that kid who followed me around? Not Shippo," she added. His eyes widened minutely. There had indeed been a child who had accompanied her. But he was human, and died at Inuyasha's hands before contact could be made. Sesshomaru voiced this thought, yet Kagome just chuckled. "He will be on this earth, Sesshomaru, and he will Remember."

**. . .**

At the Diet Building, Kazuya, Atsuro and Yuzu were just finishing off their questions for Naoya when they noticed a new arrival, flanked by two wispy shapes. They immediately prepared to engage - the past days had changed them all in more ways than one.

"Another tamer?" Atsuro muttered. They could not afford to fight again so soon.

The woman, however, ignored all of them and made a beeline for Kazuya's cousin. Naoya, for once, looked shocked. They had never seen him like that before. "Naoya...?" Kagome said. She reached out to him, but he pulled back. The priestess was visibly hurt.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

She thought back. At the time, there were lights surrounding her, and she was fading very quickly. It was just her going back to her era without the well, essentially, but she could see why an onlooker would assume she was dying.

"No. Kikyo's wish was for me to 'depart from that time'. In other words, she sent me back here."

_Come back?_ Naoya thought. His confusion must have shown somehow, for she hurried to explain.

"I time-travelled, Cain. _This _is when I was born."

It was ludicrous to believe, yet it explained so many things. Why she talked differently, and insisted on dressing like a... less reputable woman. He could now see that it was normal here. And she was more trusting than any he had met then - because there was no need for caution when she was growing up. It wasn't very smart, but that was just how she was raised.

And- dammit, Kazuya was still watching. Why was he still here anyways?

"Think on my words, Kazuya. You want to save everyone, don't you?" Naoya said. Kagome glanced at him, but he merely extended his hand. "We have much to discuss."

She accepted his hand – it was colder than she remembered – saying, "You've changed. You're not the small boy I took in."

And he just smiled. There really was no answer to that.

But throughout it all, Cain _hopedwished__**longed**_ _sosomuch_ to stay with his Sister. For as long as demonically possible.


End file.
